Distant Thunder
by TwilightSparkle3562
Summary: Brainiac once again returns to wreak havoc on Metropolis and get even with Superman and take back his Kryptonian Orb.


Disclaimers:

1. I do not own "Superman: The Animated Series." It is property of Warner Brothers and DC Comics

2. I also do not own the comic book adaptation "Superman Adventures." It is also property of Warner Brothers and DC Comics as well as its creators.

The New Superman Adventures Episode 3:

Distant Thunder

Plot:

Brainiac once again returns to wreak havoc on Metropolis and get even with Superman and take back his Kryptonian Orb.

Cast:

Tim Daly as Clark Kent/Superman

Dana Delany as Lois Lane

David Kaufman as Jimmy Olsen

Corey Burton as Brainiac

Robert Foxworth as Professor Hamilton

Dorian Harwood as Ron Thrope

Val Kilmer as Jor-El

Act 1

(The episode opens with a shot of a planet in the middle of an unknown galaxy. The planet is KRYPTON, home of SUPERMAN. The planet stays still for a minute, then the planet explodes into millions of tiny pieces. The camera then pans into a scene where SUPERMAN is in the laboratory of PROFESSOR EMIL HAMILTON looking what appears to be an ORB made of KRYPTONITE)

SUPERMAN (mesmerized): I see Krypton exploding, fragments pieces hurtling out into space. It's right in front of me, just as clear as day.

HAMILTON: Amazing! All that just from touching this device with your own two hands!

SUPERMAN: You're right, this is impressive, Professor. Krypton's entire history is here in this orb. Why, by my willing it, I can call up images from thousands of years of recorded Kryptonian civilization. Apparently, though, it only works for me.

HAMILTON: Allow me to be the judge of that, Superman. With your permission, I would like to conduct some more tests on the orb.

SUPERMAN: Of course, Professor. You can do what you think must be done.

(The ORB activates and creates an illusion of KRYPTON during SUPERMAN's infancy. SUPERMAN looks at what appears to be him as a young child with his mother and father, JOR-EL)

SUPERMAN: I am looking at my parents' home. I'm barely a year old and my mother and I are playing in my back yard near a high ridge overlooking the Krypton Sea. (SUPERMAN looks at JOR-EL who is seen with a distressed look on his face) My father, Jor-El seems distressed.

JOR-EL: Brainiac, I swear to the Gods, I will not let you destroy this planet. You may think that just because you control the orb of destiny, you are unstoppable. But, you are wrong. I will fight you and you will be destroyed, once and for all.

(The camera then shifts to a shot of what appears to be the KRYPTONIAN capitol plummeting to the ground below in what appears to be a massive earthquake. BRAINIAC, a technological like alien, is seen uploading his own data and mind into a computer that transfers him off the planet. The camera then pans out to see JOR-EL's head band lying on the ground. A sign that BRAINIAC killed him in battle)

SUPERMAN: So, thanks my father's death at the hands of Brainiac, the light of KRYPTON has been extinguished forever.

HAMILTON: Superman, that is not entirely true, you know. There is something I want to show you.

(The scene shifts to a shot of the Laboratory Telescope as SUPERMAN and PROFESSOR HAMILTON are seen looking at what appears to be a tiny red dot in the sky)

HAMILTON: There! Do you see it, Superman?

SUPERMAN: Yes, yes, I do see it! That's Krypton, I recognize it!

HAMILTON: Are you sure, Superman? (Looks through the telescope again) It is only a mere speck.

SUPERMAN: Not to me, Professor.

HAMILTON: But how? It took us weeks just to confirm that there was even a planet there at all! How could you see so strongly-? (Turns to see Superman is no longer in the laboratory) Superman? (Goes outside to see SUPERMAN staring up into the sky)

SUPERMAN: I can see well enough, Professor.

HAMILTON: Don't tell me you can see without the telescope, can you? We've measured it at just 27 light years away and- (Superman holds his left hand at Professor Hamilton, thus stopping him in his sentence)

SUPERMAN: Professor, it's interesting that my father sent me here, 27 years ago.

HAMILTON: If that is true then, the light from the explosion could reach us any day now. (Takes a long heavy sigh) Imagine that light travels at 186,000 miles per second.

SUPERMAN: Yes, and that Krypton's technology was still able to get me here first. Almost three decades ago. What an amazing race they were.

(The camera pans out to show SUPERMAN and PROFESSOR HAMILTON staring into the skies overlooking METROPOLIS as the scene shifts to early the next morning as SUPERMAN is seen flying over the city)

SUPERMAN (thinking): What a great sight Metropolis is in the morning. I hope everyone who lives here take a moment to appreciate it before they head off to work.

(SUPERMAN flies up to the DAILY PLANET as a pair of BLACK CATS look up. The scene then shifts to CLARK KENT, dressed in a blue business suit walking into the editing room of the DAILY PLANET. Also in there is LOIS LANE, dressed in a purple jacket and white skirt and RON THROPE, dressed in a green turtleneck and gray business suit. The two are going over some last minute details before a meeting)

RON THORPE: Lois, we'd better hustle if we want to be ready for this morning's meeting with the Chief.

LOIS LANE: Relax, Ron, I am pretty sure that Chief won't mind if we-

(Clark then approaches the table)

LOIS LANE: Well, well, well. Look who the cat dragged in.

CLARK KENT: Speaking of cats, Lois, I saw three of them on my way to work this morning, all black.

RON THORPE: You know, Kent? I was just telling Lois that I saw two of them on my way in.

LOIS LANE: And I told Ron that one crossed my path on the way into the building.

(The camera then shifts to a shot of JIMMY OLSEN on a computer terminal and he is one what appears to be the internet)

JIMMY OLSEN: Hey, guys, I not only saw a black cat this morning, I got a picture of it and I am putting it up on my website already. Boy, are people going to love-

MAN: OLSEN!

(Suddenly, PERRY WHITE, the DAILY PLANET editor arrives and points his finger at JIMMY)

PERRY WHITE: Who said you could use that terminal? Get back to work!

JIMMY OLSEN: Yes, sir.

PERRY WHITE: The rest of you, I hope you are getting ready for that meeting. It is in ten minutes!

(An unidentified DAILY PLANET employee looks over at JIMMY OLSEN as he is about to leave)

EMPLOYEE 1: Did I hear something about a BLACK CAT? I saw one of those this morning on my way in.

EMPLOYEE 2: Me too.

EMPLOYEE 3: Me too.

(LOIS LANE beams at the hearing of the word cats)

LOIS LANE: Okay, anyone want to guess what all this means?

RON THORPE: It means we are going to have one hell of an unlucky day.

(Suddenly, the power goes out and the entire room goes dark)

LOIS LANE (annoyed): Alright, who's the wise guy who turned out the lights?

(JIMMY OLSEN is at a window pointing down at the sight of the problem)

JIMMY OLSEN: Guys, come over here! Look at the street!

(The employees run over to see a mass of black cats walking all over the streets of METROPOLIS. Cats are also seen on cars and on people)

JIMMY OLSEN: Look out there, they are all coming out by the hundreds if not thousands! What are they doing here?

LOIS LANE: I don't know, Jimmy. I just don't know.

(The DAILY PLANET employees continue to look down at the mass of cats as the scene fades to black and the first act ends)

Act 2

(The scene opens with a shot of the black cats continuing to gather in the center of Metropolis. One cat gets in the way of taxi cab and the driver sticks his head out to confront the cat)

TAXI DRIVER: Get out of my way, mangy cat!

(Suddenly, the cat fires yellow lasers out of its eyes hitting the taxi cab and sending the driver out of the car and onto the streets. The camera then shifts back to the DAILY PLANET, where all the employees are still gathered)

JIMMY OLSEN: I don't get it, it's like they are all being controlled from a single mind! (Two cats look up at JIMMY with menacing stares) YEESH, one of them looked at me!

(LOIS LANE turns away from the window and starts to run out of the room)

LOIS LANE: Kent, let's get down there! (Suddenly, she stops and turns around to see that CLARK KENT is not there) Kent?

(The scene shifts to SUPERMAN flying over the site where the cats are)

SUPERMAN: Well, what have we here?

(SUPERMAN uses X-Ray to discover that the cats contain robotic particles inside of them. He gets down for a closer inspection, then gets back up). They're robots! But who would build such things?

(Suddenly, a low robotic yet menacing voice is heard right behind him)

VOICE: Need you ask, Kal-El?

(SUPERMAN turns around to see an alien in purple with a silver armor plate on his shoulders and silver boots. He also has a dark green head with white eyes. His name is BRAINIAC)

SUPERMAN: Brainiac! I thought we had destroyed you long ago! How did you survive?

BRAINIAC: You had, KAL-EL. But not before I had infiltrated the computers of LEXCORP and generated the necessary viruses to facilitate my return from the dead.

SUPERMAN: I told Lex Luthor to erase those files or else. He should have known you'd find a way out.

BRAINIAC: Indeed, KAL-EL. LEXCORP's industrial division proved very useful to me in manufacturing the creatures you see here. (BRAINIAC points out to the hundreds of robotic cats that surround both him and SUPERMAN)

BRAINIAC: And then they built this new body for me, which also included triangulation of your presence here. All without arising suspicion.

SUPERMAN: What are you after this time?

BRAINIAC: I know through LEXCORP, that you have the orb, KAL-EL. Where is it? The knowledge of Krypton belongs to me.

SUPERMAN: I will never give to you, Brainiac.

BRAINIAC: That was not a request, KAL-EL. I want that orb and you are going to give it to me, now.

(BRAINIAC uses a kind of telekinetic power to make the cat behind SUPERMAN grow into a CAT WARRIOR form and orders it to fire its lasers at SUPERMAN. SUPERMAN ducks and soon both he and the CAT WARRIOR are fighting it out)

BRAINIAC: You'll see KAL-EL, that you'll find my servants quite formidable. They gain power by leeching the electricity from the surrounding areas of Metropolis. They use their power effectively.

(SUPERMAN punches the CAT WARRIOR and it falls on the ground. But, the beast gets back up)

SUPERMAN: But, you are going to need an army of these monsters to ever make me give you that orb! You'll get it over my dead-

(The CAT WARRIOR suddenly grabs SUPERMAN by the waist and throws him into a brick wall, destroying it. The CAT WARRIOR then leaps onto SUPERMAN and tries to dig its fangs into him)

SUPERMAN: Do what you want- (groans) -you will not steal Krypton's Memories again!

BRAINIAC: That information is valuable to me, KAL-EL. I will continue to go through any lengths to attain it once again.

(SUPERMAN grabs the cat warrior and throws it face first into the ground, resulting in cheers from the surrounding crowds)

BRAINIAC: Listen to them prattle on, KAL-EL. Is this the race of Primitive creatures you've sworn to protect? They are all beneath you.

SUPERMAN (trying to dodge the CAT WARRIOR who had just gotten back up on its feet): They are not primitive creatures, they are human beings, Brainiac! (SUPERMAN grabs the cat by the tail and throws it into the air) Which is more I could say for you and your spare parts here! You are both just parodies of the living creatures of this universe! You were built to be our servants, but never to BE OUR MASTERS!

(SUPERMAN tosses the CAT WARRIOR into the air and throws it on the ground destroying it resulting in cheers from the crowds. Suddenly, SUPERMAN collapses tired from the fight and LOIS LANE and JIMMY OLSEN come out from the crowds to help him)

LOIS LANE: Are you okay, Superman? What were you doing?

SUPERMAN: Lois, look out!

(But before SUPERMAN can answer, BRAINIAC approaches from behind and grabs LOIS LANE by the throat. JIMMY runs off behind SUPERMAN)

BRAINIAC: All right, KAL-EL. Give me the orb or this human dies. The choice is yours. (BRAINIAC continues to hold LOIS LANE by the neck as SUPERMAN grits his teeth and the second act comes to an end)

Act 3

(The scene opens with BRAINIAC continuing to hold LOIS LANE hostage in an effort to get a hold on the Kryptonian Orb)

BRAINIAC: The orb, NOW.

SUPERMAN: Jimmy, get Professor Hamilton on the phone and tell him to bring the orb.

JIMMY OLSEN: You got it, Superman!

(A little while later, PROFESSOR HAMILTON gets off a helicopter and arrives with the Kryptonian orb in his hands. He walks over to SUPERMAN and BRAINIAC, who continues to hold LOIS LANE hostage)

HAMILTON: Here it is, the orb as you requested.

SUPERMAN: Thank you, professor.

HAMILTON (whispers): You know, he is just a machine. I would not count on his sense of honor if I were you, Superman.

SUPERMAN: I'm not. (turns his attention to BRAINAC) Brainiac, do as I say: release LOIS or I destroy the orb! (raises the orb into the air to the sounds of gasps from the crowds)

LOIS LANE: Superman, no! I'm just one person! That globe has the memories of a whole world in it! Think about it!

BRAINIAC: He's bluffing, human. He wouldn't dare. They're all just information on that end. These mortals will die, eventually, every one of them. Leaving only names, and dates and knowledge.

SUPERMAN: Choose now, BRAINIAC! (Raises the orb to a point where he is about the drop it)

(BRAINIAC throws LOIS LANE on to the ground and runs to SUPERMAN. SUPERMAN grabs ahold of BRAINIAC and the two battle it out on the ground. SUPERMAN reaches into BRAINIAC's head and tries to grab the Central Processing Unit that is in BRAINIAC's mind. SUPERMAN punches him and looks sternly at him)

SUPERMAN: You will never succeed, Brainiac. This is for my mother and father! (He delivers one final blow and the central processing unit falls out of BRAINIAC's mind and onto the pavement)

LOIS LANE: So, that's Brainiac-

SUPERMAN: In this one chip, Lois. He will never harm anyone ever again. (He places the CPU in the orb and fires his laser from his eyes destroying BRAINIAC's body. SUPERMAN then turns his attention back to the orb) There, now all of Krypton's history is in the orb, Brainiac. Good and Bad.

LOIS LANE: Is he gone?

SUPERMAN: He's gone, Lois. That figure that is lying in pieces will never hurt anyone ever again. (SUPERMAN hands the orb to PROFESSOR HAMILTON and walks away from the destroyed BRAINIAC as JIMMY OLSEN kneels down to take pictures of the destroyed body)

(The scene then shifts to one week later as SUPERMAN stands in an open meadow just outside of STAR Labs. He raises the orb in the air and it flies off into the night towards the stars. At that moment, PROFESSOR HAMILTON arrives on the scene)

SUPERMAN: There it goes, Professor: just a faint spark even to my eyes, but I know that that's it. After all these years, I'm watching the death of Krypton right before my eyes.

HAMILTON: They were a great people, Superman. And it is a great tragedy that the universe had to lose them forever. However, their memories live on in the orb…and in you.

(PROFESSOR HAMILTON walks back to STAR Labs as SUPERMAN looks up to the sky as the orb continues to fly away until it becomes a star and twinkles. The scene fades to black as the episode ends)


End file.
